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■ Sandringham MLA Brad Rowswell last week told State Parliament how he would spend $15 million if it became available to the electorate. “I know as the local member for Sandringham that $15 million in my electorate would make a magnificent difference,” Mr Rowswell said. “It would set up two primary schools with the gymnasiums that they require, the multipurpose sporting facilities that they require, for the next generation.” Mr Rowswell said this was the amount of money being spent daily by the State Government on interest onm debt. “Fifteen million dollars is what we are spending on interest payments alone just today. You know what? We are doing that again tomorrow and the day after that, and at the end of the forward estimates we are going to from $15 million a day to $22 million a day in interest payments alone. “Money spent on interest is money wasted from communities and is money wasted from not doing the things that matter – are you familiar with that? – in communities, because of the decisions that the Andrews Labor Government has made. “A couple of proof points here: the Commonwealth Games – what a debacle, what an absolute debacle. “We know that the sunk cost that the Premier is willing to share with us is 380 million bucks to cancel that contract, but what we do not know is the broader cost implications for the state, the missed opportunity. “I know from the 2006 Commonwealth Games that the economic activity created as a result of that 2006 Commonwealth Games was in the magnitude of $3 billion. “Sure, there is 380 million bucks that is being wasted by not holding the games and by cancelling that contract, but the missed opportunity to create economic activity not just in Melbourne but in the regions is a missed opportunity that will be felt for generations to come. “When I think of the Andrews Labor Government’s budget, I think of their schools tax, their rent tax, their jobs tax, now their health tax and, with the member for Nepean in the chamber at the moment, the holiday and tourism tax – all taxes on aspiration, all taxes on a fair go, all taxes on opportunity. “Of course this has been in the DNA of the Andrews Labor Government time and time and time again. “I will give credit to my colleague the Shadow Minister for Education in the other place and the Member or Kew in particular for the campaign that they ran to get the government to wind back the schools tax. “On that particular tax we did not just oppose it but committed to winding it back should we be elected in three-and-a-bit years time, and that remains our commitment today. “The rent tax will of course hit some of the most vulnerable in our community. It is not just unjust. It is unfair, and for a Labor Government who say that they care about people, riddle me this. “If you have got a one-bedroom apartment in Pakenham, for example, that may be hous-
● Brad Rowswell, Sandringham MLA ing someone who is fleeing domestic violence. That may be housing someone who needs that housing accommodation more than the privileged people in this chamber, and guess what, as a result of this rent tax their rent goes up, at the same time as their grocery bills go up, at the same time as their power bills go up. “Something has got to give. And this is at the hands of the Andrews Labor Government. We are not talking about multimillion-dollar properties in Portsea, we are talking about small accommodation that provides stability, the roof over someone’s head at some of the most vulnerable stages of their life, and their costs are going up at the hands of the Andrews Labor Government. “Why, oh why, would you want to employ more people in Victoria? We have heard it from some of the banks. ANZ have said that as a result of the Andrews Labor Government’s jobs tax in this budget they are subjected to another $25 million in state government taxes year on year. “It is no wonder that the ANZ Bank is making their next investment decision in Queensland as opposed to Victoria. “Now, okay, I take the point that banks are not the most loved people in the room, and yes, they have got a lot to answer for, but they do employ Victorians. “When the Andrews Labor Government is taxing them with an initial 25 million bucks a year, 100 million bucks over the next four years, and they as a result of that seek to make investment decisions in other states, frankly I do not blame them. “But my concern with that – my concern with the Andrews Labor Government’s jobs tax – is that it affects Victorians. “It affects Victorians who just simply want a stable job to provide for themselves, to provide for their families and to pay their bills, and it is something which the Andrews Labor Government clearly does not give a stuff about,” Mr Rowswell told the Legislative Assembly.
MP backs bike lanes ■ Prahran MLA Sam Hibbins has told State Parliament of the value of bike lanes around St Kilda Rd. “Our community gathered to celebrate the opening of the new St Kilda Rd separated bike lanes, including bike riding activists and groups like Port Phillip and ● Sam Hibbins Stonnington bike user groups, Bicycle Network and many others. “I was really pleased to be joined by my fellow MP Kat Copsey and local councillors Mike Scott and Tim Baxter as well. “There certainly was a lot of love for these separated bike lanes, certainly something I have been pushing for since I was first elected. “What a long journey it has been for well over a decade to get them on St Kilda Rd, where they were first proposed a very long time ago, with so much advocacy and campaigning since then from community and councils as well – a really massive effort. “Now they are in, they fit right into the road, making riding along St Kilda Rd so much safer and much more enjoyable,” Mr Hibbins said.
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